Marie-Ève Clément

Lifetime Prevalence of Multiple Victimizations and Its Impact on Children’s Mental Health

This study sought to document lifetime experiences of individual categories of victimizations and polyvictimization using the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire among children from the province of Quebec (Canada) to examine whether polyvictimization predicts mental health symptoms and to assess whether categories of victimization still contribute to mental health symptoms after considering polyvictimization. Polyvictimization accounted for the most variability in scores for depression, anxiety, and anger/aggression compared with individual victimization categories. None of the individual categories of victimization made an independent contribution to the prediction of trauma scores, once polyvictimization was considered.

Child Abuse in a Disciplinary Context: A Typology of Violent Family Environments

The objectives of this study were to identify and validate types of violent family environments based on child abuse in a disciplinary context. The study is original in that it simultaneously takes into account the cognitive and behavioral dimensions of the parental role as it relates to the degree of family violence in a child’s life. Cluster analyses were performed on a representative sample of 3,148 families. The Abusive profile applied to families who reported at least one severe assault on a child within the past year. This profile also had the highest levels of domestic violence, psychological aggression, and corporal punishment. The Harsh profile is nevertheless similar to the Abusive profile, despite the fact that these families reported no severe assault. The key difference is the lower score levels: the attributes are the same, but less intense. The Nonabusive profile accounted for the families with the lowest rates of domestic and parental violence, together with a negative attitude towards corporal punishment and a heightened awareness of the consequences of violence. Although the families who matched the Paradoxical profile reported very little violence, they are the least aware of the consequences of violence and the most in favor of corporal punishment. The four profiles were replicated with another cluster analysis performed on an independent representative sample of 2,465 families. Then the profiles were compared with regard to the variables used to create the clusters and other variables theoretically associated with the appearance of maltreatment. These validation methods enhance the credibility of the proposed typology.

Factors associated with co-occurrence of spousal and parental violence: Quebec population study

Although the occurrence of both spousal and parental violence within the same family has been documented, there are scarcely any data on this phenomenon for Quebec and Canada. In analyzing the data from the 2004 Quebec survey on family violence in the lives of children, conducted with a population sample of 3,148 mothers, this study pursued two goals: to determine what differences exist between three groups in which family violence occurs (spousal violence, parental violence and co-occurrence of the two) and to better document the factors related to the different types of family violence by developing an explanatory model. Ecological analyses revealed major differences between these three groups in every aspect examined. Our findings support the hypothesis that families in which spousal and parental violence co-occur are not qualitatively different from those families in which only spousal or only parental violence occurs, but that they differ in the severity of the cases reported.

Validation de la version française de l’échelle multidimensionnelle des conduites de négligence parentale.

Objectif: La mesure de la négligence parentale pose de nombreux défis et il existe encore peu d’outil capable de la documenter auprès des parents. L’étude vise à documenter les propriétés psychométriques de la traduction française de la version brève de l’Échelle multidimensionnelle des conduites de négligence parentale dans la population générale. Méthode: Cette étude utilise les données d’une enquête téléphonique réalisée auprès d’un échantillon représentatif de 3584 mères et 1202 pères d’enfants âgés entre 6 mois-4 ans, 5-9 ans et 10-15 ans. Des liens sont établis entre la négligence et plusieurs autres facteurs connus pour leurs liens avec la problématique, dont les conduites parentales à caractère violent, le stress lié au tempérament perçu difficile de l’enfant et à la conciliation travail-famille, la consommation d’alcool et de drogues, les symptômes de dépression, la pauvreté, et le soutien social. Résultats: Les analyses factorielles exploratoires montrent la présence de diverses dimensions de la négligence concernant les besoins affectifs/cognitifs, physiques (soins de base) et de supervision des enfants. Bien que les dimensions soient étroitement associées aux facteurs de vulnérabilité psychosociale des enfants et des familles, les coefficients de cohérence interne sont faibles, variant entre 0,20 et 0,64. Conclusion: Des recommandations sont émises pour améliorer la mesure dans la population générale, et notamment la dimension de supervision parentale qui pose des défis particuliers.

From Victimization to Criminalization: General Strain Theory and the Relationship Between Poly-victimization and Delinquency

ABSTRACT Although it is well established that victimization and delinquency are related, it is not clear how this relationship works, and victims and offenders are still often studied and treated as two distinct groups. General strain theory views victimization as a form of injustice, which can give rise to anger and eventually lead to delinquency. The authors examine victimization, in particular polyvictimization, as a criminogenic factor. Based on a sample of 1,400 youths 12–17 years old in Quebec (Canada), they examine polyvictimization in relation to delinquency as well as negative emotions that can result from victimization namely anger, depression, and posttraumatic stress. The findings show support for general strain theory and highlight the importance of anger for the relationship between victimization and juvenile delinquency.

Child and family needs profiles among cases substantiated by child protection services

Differential individual and family needs are explored in a sample of children (n = 1455) whose case has been substantiated by Child Protection Services. Using data from Quebecs 2014 cycle of Incidence Study, latent class analyses led to the identification of 5 profiles, each displaying a specific range of individual and family needs. Profile characteristics were explored in order to obtain a deeper understanding of their specific needs, beyond the initial referral motive. Further, referred services were explored in order to verify their adequacy regarding the identified needs. Together, the obtained results support the relevance of a more in-depth needs assessment when child protection services are solicited, and the necessity to better match the referred services to these needs.

Le modèle de la pédiatrie sociale en communauté et ses retombées sur le bien-être des familles : une étude pilote

Au Quebec, les Centres de pediatrie sociale en communaute (CPSC) offrent aux enfants et a leurs familles en situation de grande vulnerabilite psychosociale une approche d’intervention de proximite alliant des services medicaux, psychosociaux, specialises et juridiques. Cet article vise a presenter les resultats d’une etude realisee aupres de familles frequentant un CPSC depuis au moins un an. S’inspirant d’une approche methodologique mixte, l’etude permet de documenter les retombees des services sur le bien-etre psychosocial des enfants et de leurs parents. Des resultats issus de la passation de divers instruments valides (GED, ISP, SSQ, EMMD) (pre et post-test) aupres de 26 parents et de 18 enfants permettent d’observer des effets positifs significatifs chez l’enfant apres un an de presence dans les CPSC. Alors que les resultats des mesures quantitatives sont moins probants chez les parents, ceux issus des entrevues semi-dirigees realisees aupres de 17 parents et 7 intervenant.e.s montrent qu’ils y voient certaines retombees, plus particulierement sur leur sentiment d’efficacite parentale et leur perception du soutien social. Ces resultats montrent la pertinence de ces organisations et soulevent des pistes de reflexion en regard de l’aide apportee aux parents.